The present invention relates generally to an automotive seat assembly and more particularly to seat assembly for contributing to increase side-impact rigidity.
Automotive side-impact protection is a significant field in automotive design. Automobile side impact protection often includes mandated parameters in accordance with federal requirements. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration additionally has begun performing a higher velocity Lateral Impact New Car Assessment Program (LINCAP) test, using a moving deformable barrier (MDB) to arrive at a performance rating for each vehicle. The importance of positive performance on such testing, in addition to customer safety and satisfaction, places automotive side impact protection as an important design consideration.
It is apparent that during many simulations, the MDB generates interaction with the rocker panel of the struck vehicle. Common MDBs create a simulated vehicle to strike the test impact vehicle. Newer MDBs used to simulate SUVs and pickup trucks (such as the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety testing (IIHS)) have been found to generate further interaction with the rocker panel of the struck vehicle. In fact, the higher ground clearance and mass of these new MDBs, when striking a test passenger vehicle, has been found to override the rocker panel and generate additional side impact intrusion. This is clearly undesirable.
The lateral strength of vehicle seats positioned within the struck vehicle play a role in side-impact test ratings. Vehicle crash comparisons demonstrate that a seat that is stronger in lateral compression may improve the LINCAP and other side-impact test ratings. Lateral seat strength may play an even more important role in the IIHS testing as the IIHS MDB typically contacts the struck vehicle in an even higher location that the federal requirements test.
It would, therefore, be highly desirable to have an automotive design with improved side impact rigidity to resist intrusion during side impact. It would further be highly desirable to have an automotive seat assembly that contributed toward prevention of rocker override and side-impact intrusions.